Mei
by Last October
Summary: Mei is a typical 21st century teenage girl. How will she cope when she is suddenly thrust into a world that doesn't exist, where she must be the hero she never knew she could be? This is my first fanfic, please rr.
1. The Beggining

AN: The main characters name in this is Mei and you pronounce it like my. Ok? Also this is my first story so please review tell me what you think I don't care if you love it or hate it, tell me what you think. Oooh I'm excited!

Disclaimer: None of the characters or places from Tamora Pierces books are mine, obviously. Gabriel is and so is Mei and all the other people that aren't from the books.

I sigh, "Great, S.O.S.E is next" I say looking up from the back of my diary, where my timetable is pasted." Yeah, great, 45 minutes of pure joy with Mr. Blythe" my friend Lana exclaims sarcastically. "Well, you never know, maybe we will do something fun today?" I ask hopefully. "Don't bet on it Mei 'cause if you do I'll win", Lana says, always the voice of reason. We continue walking down the concrete pavement, weaving between the other students hurrying to their next class, and get to line just as Mr. Blythe is ushering the rest of 8B into class. We take a seat at the back of the classroom where Mr Blythe's saliva, which tends to leave his mouth when he is excitable, hopefully won't reach us.

I glance at my watch. It tells me there is only ten minutes left until the end of the period. With only one question left to answer, I put my head back down and prepare to write the answer to 12 b) but suddenly a bright, white light floods the room for a second then it's gone and I slowly raise my head to look at the front of the room where a guy with black hair down to his shoulders with light green eyes is standing. There is a space behind him where the whiteboard should be but instead there is only darkness. I return my gaze back to the boy and take the rest of him in. He is wearing a white shirt with a red tunic over the top with brown leggings underneath the tunic and black knee high boots over the top of the leggings. He looks like a noble from the textbook in front of me. I glance down at the textbook. Exactly like a noble, I think to myself. I look around at the rest of the students in the class thinking I might be imagining him but he seems to be real judging by the faces on everyone. They are all just staring at the guy with their mouths wide open, obviously trying to figure out if this is some kind of a joke. I'm thinking the same thing. Where the hell did this guy come from, I think to myself. I look back at the boy and see that he is glancing around, looking at all our faces but he doesn't seem in the least bit surprised at having suddenly turned up looking like he's from the 6th century instead of the 21st. I think it has to be a joke, otherwise how could he be so calm? Not to mention any other possibility is impossible. I look back at the boy and am startled to see he is staring at me. He strides up between the rows of tables towards me and when he reaches me he gazes at my face a second as if checking I am who he thinks I am. Then, suddenly, he grabs my wrist and yanks me up and out of my chair and then proceeds to pull me back down the aisle towards to black holey thingy. I try to pull back on him but he is surprisingly strong and just grips my wrist tighter as he pulls me through the hole, into the darkness.

Ok it's slow to start but there is more next chapter. So please review tell me what you think of it.


	2. huh?

**Last Chapter: I look back at the boy and am startled to see he is staring at me. He strides up between the rows of tables towards me and when he reaches me he gazes at my face a second as if checking I am who he thinks I am. Then, suddenly, he grabs my wrist and yanks me up and out of my chair and then proceeds to pull me back down the aisle towards to black holey thingy. I try to pull back on him but he is surprisingly strong and just grips my wrist tighter as he pulls me through the hole, into** **the darkness.**

As soon as I touch the darkness, it closes around me. My hair is instantly whipped back from my face, and I close my eyes against the gust. If the strange boy wasn't tightly gripping my wrist, I would have fallen over. I try to ask him what this thing is but my voice is lost, snatched away by the darkness. Knowing that conversation would be useless, I fall silent.

It feels like aeons later when the motion finally stops. It happens so abruptly that this time I do fall over. I lie there with my eyes closed thinking that it must have been a dream. When I open my eyes I will be on the oval with my friends and they will be laughing at me for falling asleep, I think to myself, please let it be true. Cautiously, I open one of my eyes. Ok, blue sky, a few fluffy, white clouds that seems right. Slowly a sit up and open my other eye. Ok…..maybe I'm still dreaming! I'm sitting on a hill that overlooks a gleaming, blue river. There are at least 3 bridges crossing it that I can see from my vantage point. Beyond the river is a large town, a city really. Except that there are no high rises or Myer shopping centres. There are small houses with thatched roofs and cobblestone roads. And beyond the city is a huge palace gleaming in the sun, with many flags flapping in the wind on top of the many towers.

I gulp. What is going on?!? This is not a dream, I know that much because this feels too real to be a dream. Unbelievable but real. I pinch myself anyway. It hurts. I can't be here, I have a calisthenics comp on Saturday! I'm starting to panic when I remember the boy that brought me here in the first place. I look up to see him staring at me with his startling green eyes. "Are you alright?", he asks me. I'm surprised he speaks English, I was expecting Latin or some other ancient language. "Ummmm yeah-no not really"I tell him. He looks confused. "No", I say " I'm not really alright, I have no idea where I am." I tell him. "Well, you are in Tortall" He says to me as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. My eyes widen,"Tortall" I think to myself," But Tortall isn't real!" "You're joking right?" I ask him."What is there to joke about m'lady?" He asks. This is not good, I think to myself.

The boy sets off down the hill towards the closest bridge. I sit there, more confused than ever. How can this be Tortall? I ask myself. Tortall isn't real, it's a made up place from a book. If this is a joke, whoever decided to play it on me is gonna get it, I think out loud. The boy finally realises that I'm not following. He turns to look at me and sees' that I'm still sitting where he left me. He makes gesturing movements with his hands to get me to follow him. I don't move, just sit there, staring past him at the city and the palace beyond that. He drops his hands and stomps haughtily back up the hill to me before asking, "Are you going to come with me or not?"I don't reply, but I do look at him."Come onnn", he whinges. He must realise that I'm not gonna move so he bends and wraps his arms around my waist and then hoists me up and onto his shoulder. I'm surprised, I start wiggling and kicking but he doesn't flinch not even when I knee him in the stomach. I give up knowing that I have no where else to go so I may as well go with him, to the palace.

We head to the closest bridge, which was a bit to the west of where the hill stopped sloping. The boy is rather tall so I can see really well from his shoulder. I see little fishys swimming in the river as we cross the bridge, which is made of large, grey slabs of rock. When we reach the other side of the bridge, there is large stone wall that has a gate made of wooden planks nailed together. The gate is open but it is still guarded by five soldiers with crossbows. They call out to the boy carrying me, greeting him and saying things like "Nice catch ya got there mate". I smirk sarcastically to myself. "Nice joke _mate"_ I say under my breath. If the boy hears me, he says nothing, just keeps walking on through the gate and into what must be the slums of Corus.

Ok, still not too much action but it's progressing. Now I'd like to thank my first ever reviewers!

**MorganLeFay99**Thanks so much. Yes Mei has read the Tortall books but she is not gonna let on that she knows about the place or the people. I'm gonna let her meet all the people and slowly, without her realising, she is gonna stop thinking it's a joke.

**Protectress of the Small**I tried to make it a little longer this time and I'll make it longer next capter as well. I hope it isn't too much of a cliffie. And don't worry I'm into the last week of school so I should have heaps of time to update soon.

**Ebony Sorceress**You r really funny, u couldn't make ur opinion any clearer. Thanks heaps I hope you like the rest of the story.

**HiddenPortrait**Thanks for the tip I tried to use more paragraphs this time but I still haven't quite got the hang of it.


	3. Maybe

We walk down the cobblestone path, winding our way through the throngs of people, all similarly dressed to the boy carrying me. We walk on, past the poorer part of the city and into the markets where there are stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and eggs and live animals as well as stalls selling jewellery, weapons and clothing.

We reach the heart of the city where there are pubs with drunks brawling inside even though the sun is still high in the sky, with shops displaying beautiful dresses on mannequins, small blacksmiths and armouries as well as small inns and eating houses. Finally, I get sick of being treated like a sack of potatoes. "If you put me down, I promise I won't try to run away", I say quietly. The boy stops and sets me on my feet in front of him. "Thankyou", I say. "Now, can you please tell me who you are?" I ask. "My name is Gabriel of Namroncove, I'm currently training as a page at the palace", he tells me before he continues walking on. I run to catch up with him before I lose sight of him in the crowd.

Finally after at least another half an hour we reach another wall. There are more guards at this one than the last but they are just as friendly. Gabriel greets them all cheerily before whispering to the guard closest to the gate. The guard glances at me knowingly before shouting the order for the gate to be opened. Slowly, it opens and Gabriel grabs my wrist before continuing on through the gate and into what must be the grounds of the palace that I saw from the hill when I first arrived, the palace where Gabriel was training as a page. We walk up a paved road before Gabriel suddenly turns left and,still holding my wrist, continues down a smaller path towards part of the palace that looks as though it is a dorm of some kind. He pulls open a small, wooden door and turns right tugging me along a corridor that is lined with doors on one side. I gaze wonderingly around me at the painting on the walls, at the suits of armours placed strategically here and there, at the lush red carpets and the beautiful wood panelled walls. So caught up in taking in the sights, I knock into Gabriel before I realise he has stopped in front of a large double door, made of oak and polished so brightly I can see myself in it. I am still wearing my school summer dress and I can see that the bottom is sticking up at an odd angle. Gabriel knocks on the door as I bend over to tug my dress straight. The door opens and Gabriel quickly grabs the back of my dress and yanks me upright. I glare at him but he doesn't notice because he is staring straight ahead. I turn to see what he is looking at and see two magnificent people, a man and a woman, sitting on what must be thrones. Gabriel bows low and I quickly copy him not knowing what else to do as I already know who these people are. "This is King Jonathon and Queen Thayet, monarchs of Tortall." Gabriel tells me rather unnecessarily as I had already recognised the two people before me from the description in a book that I had read a very long time ago. "OMG" I think to myself.

"Thankyou, Page Gabriel, for running this….errand….for us. You are dismissed." King Jonathon says. "Good day, Your Majestys", Gabriel says and, after bowing low once again, he turns on his heel and leaves the room. I turn to face the monarchs. Queen Thayet is prettier than I imagined and King Jonathon is younger than I thought he would be. "Mei we are so sorry for having to do this to you but I'm afraid there was no other way" Queen Thayet says to me just as I am about to open my mouth to ask them what they want. "Why exactly did you bring me here, Your Majestys? I ask, hoping that my hair isn't sticking up in a funny way. "We have been forewarned, by a prophet I suppose you could say, that a terrible event is going to happen some time in our near future. We were told that the only way of stopping this thing, whatever it is was with the help of a girl, a girl not from this world, but another. She would be the light in the darkness, the safe harbour in a storm and our protector. She would stop this thing, destroy it and leave our kingdom free again." Knowing what was coming next I sigh. "That girl is you, Mei" Queen Thayet says to me, with something like sympathy in her eyes. "Are you sure?" I ask, "I mean how can you know?" "We have our ways, and we are sure. A mistake like that would have been disastrous, and we could not let that happen." King Jonathon tells me. " We do not know how long until this event occurs or what it will be, but for now we would like to train you in the arts of war, on how to wield weapons so that you may fight this thing when it comes." " I know this is hard for you to take in but you must understand you are our only hope". "If I do this, if I fight for you and win like the prophecy says, will you send me home?" I ask. "Of course!", the King replies adamantly. I sigh again, thinking this is so weird, I'm transported to a place that isn't real, meet people that have only ever existed in a book and now I find out there is some prophecy about me, where I'm some hero that's going to stop some big, bad, unknown thing. "Ok, I'll do it, I'll practise sword fighting or whatever and I'll cut this thing down to size for ya."

"Wonderful, now if you would go outside, you'll find Gabriel waiting for you". King Jonathon says to me kindly. I walk outside to find Gabriel waiting for me with a grin on his face. "What?" I ask. "Nothing, nothing." He says.

"We should have told her the rest of the prophecy" Queen Thayet says turning to look at her husband. "No, we don't know if it is to be, the prophet died before she finished telling us." "But if it is true?" she asked. "It is one life for all of ours, what else would I do, I cannot let my people be slaughtered, by this, this _thing_!"

"It was her right to know, so she could choose".

"It is too late and maybe she will survive…."

_maybe………_

Ok I hope that was a little better, a bit more onto the story, yeah? Do you guys get what is happening? I hope it's not too confusing. I have to thank my reviewers again, you guys are great!

**Lana: yes that guy is Rhys but shhhhh! No one needs to know.**

**MorganLeFay: Hey again, I live in Australia, in Melbourne. What about you? I'll try to check my spelling, thanks for the tip I use too much slang.**

**SpectralLady: I tried to make this chapter longer than the others with more progress into the story.**

**MistyFox14: Thanks for your review, I updated!**


	4. Contemplation

I walk outside to find Gabriel waiting for me with a grin on his face. "What?" I ask. "Nothing, nothing." He says. Then he turns around and heads back the way I _think _we came, but I couldn't be sure because I hadn't really been paying attention earlier. He leads me down a series of corridors before I ask where we are going. "Oh, I am taking you to get something to eat and then I'll show you to your rooms", he replies. Finding this news acceptable, as I am absolutely starving, I continue to wander after him, letting my mind drift to a problem that had been bothering me.

When I read the books by Tamora Pierce, there was never any mention of a boy named Gabriel of Namroncove. I think hard, and even though I haven't read the books for years, I cannot remember even a person described as to looking like him.

"Gabriel, who else are you training as a page with?" I ask. "Well, there's Nealan of Queenscove, Merric of Hollyrose, Seaver of Tasride, Esmond of Nicoline, Keladry of Mindelan and there's Owen of Jesslaw but he's a year younger than the rest of us." He says, counting of their names on his fingers.

"Ummm, Gabriel, can I ask you something?" Gabriel stops and turns to face me.

"What is it you want to know?" He asks, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

"Well,ummmm, are you from ummm around here?" I ask him, hoping he doesn't take it the wrong way.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"Well it's just I…did the king and queen tell you what I am?" I ask him, abruptly changing the subject.

"You mean did they tell me why I had to get you from your world?"

"Yes, do you know what I am here for?"

"Yes, I know that a prophet said you were needed here."

" Well, what would you say if I told you in my world there are a series of books, each describing certain events that were performed by people from your world?"

"Wait you mean, there are books in your world with _us _in them?" Gabriel asks spreading his arms out wide to signify the people in Tortall.

" Well certain people are in them, but that's the thing _you_ were never mentioned, not once and there are 22 books! And I can't think of a reason that you're not in them if everyone else is."

"Well…..actually I never knew my real parents" Gabriel tells me looking away from me before continuing. "The Baron and Baroness told me that a farmer on their lands found me in a field one morning and brought me to them. They couldn't find my mother so they raised me as their own." Gabriel said slowly, as if he didn't want me to know, like it was a weakness.

"Is it possible that you aren't from this world?" I ask him. "Maybe you were brought through a portal like I was."

"No, no I don't think so….no." Gabriel says determinedly, as if trying to convince himself.

"You're sure I'm not in _any _of those books?" He asks me, obviously hoping I had made a mistake.

"I am sure you are not in any of them." Gabriel contemplates this for a while before shrugging his shoulders and smiling. "Well I'm starving, how about you?" he asks me but I can see in his eyes that he was still troubled, still confused by this news I had broken to him.

I follow Gabriel as he continues walking again, thinking back to the talk I had had with the monarchs. The whole time it seemed like they were keeping something back, a part of the story was missing. Was Gabriel a part of the prophecy? And if he was why didn't he know and why did they not tell me? Something was wrong here, and they didn't want me to find out. Maybe I wouldn't stop this thing? Or maybe I would but maybe it would kill me aswell maybe King Jonathon was so sure to assure me I was going home because he knew I would never see the place again. Or maybe, I sigh, you're getting yourself worked up over nothing like usual. "You're such a drama queen," I say to myself under my breath, smiling. I mean of course I'm going to see home again!

Okies, well I couldn't let her get it straight away could I? Thanks to my reviewers, I loves you alls!

White Phoenix Erialis: I know the characters are kind of wooden right now, I tried to work more reactions and responses in this chapter, I think it's a bit better than it was. I guess Mei is taking it all pretty well but I just hate those stories where the character is all like yeah well I know all this stuff look I can kick Kels' butt even though I have never punched anyone in my life. And Oh my god you have to be lying I can't be here nah nah nah blah blah blag. Sorry I just didn't want her to be too over dramatic.

**SpectralLAdy: thanks for the compliment, I haven't really described what Mei looks like though, I'm going to try and incorporate that into the next chapter.**

**Protectress of the Small: Hey lizzie! Thanks for reviewing twice on the same day! Please update soon I want to see what happens in jade next.**


	5. A bit different

We continued walking down the deserted corridors, Gabriel occasionally pointing things out, like the library and the inner practice courts. Eventually we come to a double door painted white with brass handles. I can hear banging and clattering on wood and infer that this must be the page's and squires eating hall, as Gabriel had already told me he was taking me to get something to eat.

It was evident that lunch had only just started as the plates in front of the teenage boys were still mostly full, and my experience with boys of this age knew that it didn't take long for a meal of that size to disappear into the yawning belly within. Most of them didn't even look up when the doors opened, admitting me and Gabriel, but a few did and when they saw me their eyes would widen slightly before they would turn and nudge their neighbour, whispering and glancing at me, and before long, eating in the hall had completely ceased and all eyes were on me.

"Page Gabriel, please bring yourself and your companion to my table at once". A commanding voice rang across the hall, loud and true cutting through the whisperings and stopping them in it's wake. I turn slightly to my left and see a middle aged man sitting at a table raised slightly above the others. He has short cropped light brown hair and a scar running from the corner of his eye to his ear, cutting a short track through his hair. He is well built with broad shoulders and well muscled arms.

Gabriel makes his way up the aisles towards the man and I can feel every eye following me as I walk after him.

"This is the girl?" the man asks Gabriel. Thinking back I realise he must be Lord Wyldon, training master to the pages.

"Yes, my lord, this is the girl we were foretold of, I have just returned from retrieving her from her own world." Gabriel says.

Lord Wyldon turns and looks me over before nodding his head slightly.

"And your name, girl, what is it?" He asks me, rather abruptly.

"My name is Mei" I tell him with my head high. I knew what this man thought of women. I would not let him see that I was slightly frightened of what I was getting myself into.

"Silence" Lord Wyldon yelled, addressing the entire hall. He yelled rather unnecessarily as the not one word had been uttered since he had called me and Gabriel earlier. "This young lady here will be training with the pages for an uncertain amount of time by order of the king, and if any one wishes to question King Jonathons motives I suggest you take it up with the King himself, not me or anyone else for that matter."

Turning back to me and Gabriel, he said "You may go and eat now."

Before long we were both making our way through the tables again, this time with trays each, piled high with food. Gabriel walked purposefully towards a table in the back table that already had a few people sitting at it. We reach it and Gabriel sits, gesturing with his eyes for me to take the seat next to him. I oblige, but keep my eyes firmly on my hands, which are fidgeting in my lap. Silence insures before Gabriel clears his throat and says, "Everybody this is Mei". Still nothing.

"Ummm, I guess she's not from around here. Without meaning to I look up and grin at him, thinking, smooth Gabriel, what do you think tipped em 'em off?

I imagine looking at myself through their eyes. My school dress was pretty modern, especially by their standards. It reaches to just above my knee which is probably very short to them since I am not wearing any stockings underneath. I'm wearing ankle socks because back home it was bloody hot, 30 degrees Celsius! My school jumper is plain dark blue with my school logo on the left hand side. My dark brown, curly hair is cut to just above my shoulders, but is know dragged scraggedly back onto a pony tail, fastened there with a rather large novelty Hello Kitty hair tie. My brown eyes are plain enough, I have a little mascara on but nothing extraordinary. My ears are pierced three times each, with a fourth hole at the top of my left ear aswell. My belly button is also pierced but they can't see that. I'm nothing extraordinary. I'm the kind of person you never really notice walking down the street. I'm just…normal, or was. Until this crazy day dawned bright and sunny.

I come back to the here and now and see everyone looking at me again.

"Wh-what!?!" I ask startled.

"Merric just asked what your fief is" Gabriel says to me slowly, as if I was a five year old.

"Oh, um..well," I fumble looking at Gabriel with a question in my eyes. Can they know? Do they know?

"Oh!" Gabriel says remembering. How he forgot….I think to myself, rolling my eyes.

"Umm Mei is here for a special reason. You guys know how weird stuff is always happening around here," Gabriel says looking around at everyone else on the table "well, Mei is from another world."

And I thought he couldn't do any worse than the she's not from around here line, I think to myself.

"Yes, actually I am from another world." I say as they are all looking at him unbelievingly . "Where I'm from it is the year 2004. And," I say looking around at the medieval hall so ancient looking yet new and sparkly, "it is quite a bit different from this place.


	6. Keladry

Hi everyone, it's been ages. Wasn't sure where to take the story, I think I know now.

I lie in my new room, on the floor and contemplate never getting up again. My training had begun a week earlier, grueling and extremely hard, for a 21st century gal. Even now after two rest days my arms felt like overcooked noodles and my legs shook when I stood up for too long. I will make a plan and beat the silly confinements of this mortal body, the dramatic side of me recites in my head. Step one: Eat! Sure the food is extremely barbar-ummm different! But it is nutritious and good for me especially the organic vegetables. Ok so eat heaps. Step two: Sleep! Lot's. At night. Not into the day. Early bedtime. Step Three: Get off that floor soldier and move move move!

"I'm coming, I'm coming", I call out to the loud and persistent knocker outside my room.

"Yeah well if you were ready when I came…", Gabriel grumbles as I yank open the door.

"But then it wouldn't be as much fun now, would it?" I ask him playfully. He just grumbles more. Gabriel really isn't a morning person.

"Any way why are you so bright and perky?" He asks.

"Because, my dear, I have a plan!" I sing.

"A plan?" he asks.

"A plan" I repeat. "To eat well and sleep sound and train hard and tough so I might defeat this beast, uncover you're past and return home!" I chant hopping up and down.

Gabriel has obviously never seen a crazy person the way he is staring at me.

"Gabriel it's a joke, well not a joke I intend to do all those things but with less enthusiasm." I explain to him.

He just rolls his eyes and keeps walking.

That night, after another hard learning how to use a staff and bow, I find myself up on the Curtain Wall. Gabriel suggested I go up there at least once because the view was magnificent. And he was right. The sun had just set and the cities lights were lit and twinkling. I hear a rustle and turn around to see Keladry standing behind me.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you" She apologises quickly.

"Oh no that's ok…" I trail off and she comes to stand beside me, and we stand in silence for a few minutes.

"Trying to get over the fear?' I ask her.

She glances at me quickly before returning her gaze to the city.

" Gabriel told me the truth about you. I suppose you read that in the books?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I did." I reply, hoping the next question would never arrive.

We are silent for another few minutes before Keladry opens her mouth again.

"What happens to me, umm you know…do I become a Knight?" She asks hopefully.

Knew it, knew it, knew it.

"I can't tell you, Keladry". I say, shrugging my shoulders.

I expected her to ask why or argue, but she remains silent and I remember it's not like Kel to question people.

"By the way, please call me Kel", She says, reaching out her hand.

I stare at it for a moment before shaking it and smiling.

"I'm heading in how about you?" I ask her.

She nods and we both begin the long walk back along the Curtain Wall.


	7. Release

My world is darkness. Intead of reaching out with my sight I must reach out with my instinct's ,listen to my heart.

"Mei, defend!" A rough voice screams to my right.

Automatically I bring my staff up to where I know the strike will be placed. I am rewarded with a loud _clack _as wood meets wood.

"Good, now I want you to find _me_." The voice continues.

I remain still and close my eyes beneath the blindfold, telling my brain I no longer need sight, all I need is a weapon. I reach out with the _thing _inside me, the thing Numair told me was unlike any thing he had ever encounted before. He had told me the closest thing to it was a ghost. Numair believes there is another soul inside of my body, my legacy to the prophecy. The soul inside of me has no memories but sometimes I wake up at night screaming from long forgotten times. I believe they are messages from my _travel buddy._

I am trapped inside a dome of glowing dome. Smouldering ruins surround me and my hands are burning. I look at them and am vaguely amused to see they are giving off smoke. Did I destroy these buildings? I ask myself. "Rae, theres no where left to hide…" I turn around and scream.

Last nights dream was like the others: short and vague.

"Mei, pay attention, find me" the voice says again. I concentrate on the task again. I release the thing inside me letting it's awareness stroll outside my body. I instantly now Master Firk is behind me, preparing for a high strike. I turn. Pulling my staff up and around to meet the oncoming attack.

"Well done, Mei, that's enough for today". I yank off my blindfold to meet the grinning face of my training master.

"My report to Lord Wyldon tonight will be all good things Mei. Whatever this things is that's coming, it ain't gonna like battling you one bit." Master Firk says before shooing me away. I happily jog towards the exit from the practice courts.

"Oh and don't forget your lesson with Master Numair tonight".He yells after my retreating back. Damn, damn, damn, I think to myself. Wish he hadn't reminded me.

I look up to the strange green star twinkling in the evening sky. Is it just me or is it getting bigger I wonder. Strange I've only noticed it this last week and I've been here almost two months now. Ah well, better hurry up Numair doesn't like being kept waiting.


	8. Lessons and Revelations

I rapped softly on Numair's door, telling myself if he didn't answer after five seconds I would just go to my room for an early night. The door was opened before my knuckles left the wood. _Damn._

"Mei! On time for once! A most pleasant surprise. Come in, Daine's just gone out to the menagerie, but she said she'll try to be back before you leave, to say hello." I smiled politely at Numairs ramblings, and followed him into his shared quarters, closing the door after me.

"Mei? Are you okay?" I started. I hadn't realised I was already seated before a blazing fire, with Numair offering me some Yamani green tea. "Oh, no tea thankyou, Numair. It keeps me awake some nights." Numair still eyed me closely for a few more seconds before shrugging to himself.

"How are you feeling Mei, about all this? You've been here two months already. I would suppose you're missing your family? But you do seem to have taken this situation very well, no fuss at all!" Numair was a sweet man, sweeter than the books described him. I didn't dread my lessons with him for _him,_ but rather for what he forced me to unearth.

"Two months… I realised that as well earlier." I replied with a shaky smile. I felt a bit faint tonight, like I'd run a marathon. "I do miss my family, but it helps to know time is suspended there while I'm away, so they won't miss me and I won't miss anything. Like school I mean…"

And…how about your thoughts on you being here?" He prompted.

"I guess when I first got here I was so disbelieving, thinking it was a dream or a hoax I never got the chance to become hysterical. And then I was so used to being here I never questioned it. I guess that's how I dealt with it." Numair nodded softly before rubbing his hands together briskly. I liked Numair and trusted him but I was fairly positive he passed on all our conversations to King Jonathon.

"You seem tired tonight Mei, I'll keep this short. You know how to begin."

I nodded, hating this part. I closed my eyes and began to breathe deeply and slowly, while reaching into myself, to where I imagined my soul to be. And there it was. My soul, small and glowing, just like a cliché. But there was something next to it, and that was the reason I hated these lessons. It freaked me out to know _something_ else was in my body. The other 'soul' was the same size as mine but a deep red colour. _Keep going Mei, you're almost there._ In this state I felt, rather than heard Numair giving me instructions. Reluctantly I pushed onward, towards the imposter and the barriers that had previously held me back disintegrated. I reached out and _felt_ the other soul uncurl and turn its awareness towards me. _You?_Mei, I returned. _Me? _I don't know. It seemed to withdraw a little then before returning. _Rae…me._You're Rae? So my dreams were coming from this creature. _Me Rae, me you, too._ How can you be both? _Was Rae, __then__ caught, separated, __tiiiiiime__, lots of, other half become you. Understand?_ You're saying my soul was divided, a long time ago when I used to be Rae? And now my soul is still in two pieces. My mind was really struggling with this, and I could feel myself slipping out of the calm centre I had created. I was falling, away from the souls, Rae….

And darkness descended…


End file.
